Deep-sea scale worms, video

This 1 July 2019 video from the USA says about itself:

The ocean is bristling with scale worms

Scale worms are easily recognized by their large, fleshy scales and hundreds of dazzling bristles. Scale worms dominate the deep sea not only in terms of species numbers, but also in the variety of their shapes and sizes. Of the nearly 20,000 species of segmented worms known today, nearly 10 percent are scale worms. What makes this group of worms so successful?

Researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History are on the hunt to find out.

Scale worms are predators, continually searching the seafloor for their next meal. Interestingly, many deep-sea species are blind, and rely on long, finger-like sensory appendages to help them locate their prey and to give them early warning of predators. Some scale worms have developed symbiotic relationships with other animals like corals, sponges, and even other types of worms. These worms have relatively small sensory appendages. Presumably, they don’t need early warning systems for this sheltered, symbiotic lifestyle.

Investigating the diverse forms and behaviors of scale worms reveals the ways this particular group of segmented worms has been able to thrive in so many challenging habitats, including the deep sea.

Happy International Polychaete Day!

Script: Brett C. Gonzalez, Ali Kazerani, and Karen J. Osborn (Smithsonian Museum of Natural History) Narration: Ali Kazerani Video editing: Kyra Schlining Music: Clover_3 (YouTube Audio Library)